September 27th Workshop Powerpoint Presentation

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NAVIGATING THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM
September 27, 2014
Whittier School
Minneapolis, MN
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Agenda
• Welcome & Introductions
• Navigating the School System
• Navigating Your Options: Life After High School
• Rights of Undocumented Students
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NAVIGATING THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM
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State and Federal Education System
Federal Department
of Education:
- IDEA
- No Child Left Behind
- ELL Regulations
Governor of
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of
Education
- District funding
- Enforcement
- Education Regulation
Local School Districts
- School Policies
- Student Discipline
- Almost everything else
Minnesota
Legislature
Education Code
- Student & Teacher
Conduct
- State Assessment
- Education Laws
5
Overview of Local School System
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Local Hierarchy
Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education
Superintendent
Associate Superintendents
School Principal
Teachers
School
Employees
Office of Student, Family &
Community Engagement
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At Your School
Principal
Guidance
and Career
Counselors
Teachers
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Navigating the System
Who to Contact
Issues with
your child’s
education
1) Teacher
2) School
Family
Liaison
3)Principal
4) Assoc.
Superintend
ent
Issues with
Discipline
1) Principal
2) School
Family
Liaison
3) Associate
Superintendent
4) Office of
Student, Family &
Community
Engagement
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Navigating the System
Who to Contact
Issues with
Special
Education
1)
Teacher
2)
Principal
3) Office of
Student, Family &
Community
Engagement
3)
Multilingual
Departmen
t
4) Office of
Student, Family
& Community
Engagement
2) School
Family
Liaison
Issues with
English
Language
Learners
1) Teacher
2) School
Family
Liaison
2)
Principal
4) Special
Education
Department
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Navigating the System
Office of Student, Family & Community Engagement
• School Family Liaisons
• Resource centers
• Office of Student, Family, and
Community Engagement
• http://osfce.mpls.k12.mn.us/
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How to Work the System
• If someone can’t help you, ask who can
• Ask for a supervisor or for different departments
• Ask if they can refer you to someone else who can help
• Keep asking, firmly but respectfully
• Do not stop until you find the best person to talk to
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Navigating the System
Solve It Informally
• Develop relationships
• With teachers, specialists, health providers,
• Call staff, ask for help
• Follow-up frequently
• Meet with key players
• Talk about issues
• Negotiate a solution
• Communication skills
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Quiz
• You disagree with the school’s decision to
suspend your child from 5th grade. What is
the first step you should take?
• What should you do if this step doesn’t
work?
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Quiz
• Your child is an English Language Learner (ELL)
student. You believe s/he isn’t getting enough
support from the school in developing skills in
English. What is the first step you should take to
address this?
• What should you do if this step doesn’t work?
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Navigating the System
Political Action
• Join local and school parent groups
• School Board Voting
• Elect school board members
• Vote on local education measures
• Get Organized
• Organize parent groups
• Advocate for policy changes
• Run for school board!
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Navigating the System
Records, Grades, and Transcripts
How do I get my student’s records or transcript?
• Download and submit form to Accounting Office
http://studentaccounting.mpls.k12.mn.us/Transcripts
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What should be on your transcript?
Core Classes
Core Classes
English
(ESL Levels 2-5 count for English credit)
Social Studies
9th = Geography
10th = World History
11th = US History
12th = Gov/Econ
Math
9th = Algebra
10th = Geometry
11th = Algebra 2/Trig
12th = Pre calc
Science
9th = Environmental Science (or Physics/Biology)
10th = Biology
11th = Physical Science (1 Sem. Of Chem. & 1 Sem. Of Physics) or
1st year of Chemistry 11th
12th = Physics
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What Should Be On Your Transcript?
Electives
• Graduation Requirements – Elective Classes:
• 2 Fine Art classes (you will have more than 2)
• 2 PE Classes (Fit for Life 1 & 2)
• 2 Health Classes (Health 1 & 2)
Other electives will include Technology classes & PSEO (Post
Secondary Educational Options) & Languages
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Navigating the System
Records, Grades, and Transcripts
• What does my child need to graduate from high
school in Minnesota?
Credits
Subject
4 credits
English/Language Arts
3 credits
Mathematics (including algebra, geometry and
statistics/probability)
3 credits
Science (1 credit of biology plus 2 additional credits)
3.5 credits
Social Studies (including U.S. history, geography, world
history, government/citizenship and economics)
1 credit
Art
7 credits
Electives
http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1836
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Reading Your Transcript
4 Main Areas
• GPA (the point total of all your letter grades divided by the
total number of classes taken)
• Class rank (Your GPA compared to all other students in
your grade)
• Total number of credits earned
• Student’s classes with grades (by year in school)
A’s = 4.0
F’s = 0.0
C’s = 2.0
B’s = 3.0
D’s = 1.0
Viewing your transcript
English 9
English 10
English 11
English 12
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Credit Sheet
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
Geography (Civics) World Studies
US History
Gov't
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q - .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q - .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Econ
This credit check form has
all the required classes
listed by class name (by
subject) through the 12th
grade year.
Q - .75
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
Algebra
Geom etry
Algebra 2
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
Q - .75
(3 credits)
Enviro Science
Biology
Phys Sci or Chem Physics (4th yr)
T1- 1.125
T1- 1.125
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
T2- 1.125
T2- 1.125
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
Q3- .75
Q3- .75
Q4- .75
Q4- .75
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
(3 credits)
PE 1
PE 2
Fine Arts - 1
Fine Arts - 2
Health 1
Health 2
T1- 1.125
T1- 1.125
T1- 1.125
T1- 1.125
T1- 1.125
T1- 1.125
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q1- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
Q2- .75
(1.5 credits)
(1.5 credits)
(1.5 credits)
(1.5 credits)
(1.5 credits)
(1.5 credits)
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Watch Out For…
• Find all the core classes by subject you have passed and
note them on the credit sheet
• If unsure about meeting the requirements for a core
subject, count the total credits for each year in school
• You should have at least 3 credits in each core per completed
school year
• Find all of the “F’s” in your core subjects – these will need
to be made up
Watch Out For…
• ESL & Bilingual classes
• ESL classes with a general subject name count as
electives NOT as a core subject
• ESL SCIENCE - 1.125 AIB (elective)
• ELL ALGEBRA - 1.125 A (core)
• Summer school classes
(done for makeup or to get ahead)
• Summer school/online classes do not get a letter
grade, student receives credit
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NAVIGATING YOUR
OPTIONS:
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
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Discussion Question
What options do you think are possible for
immigrant students after high school?
Do your children have dreams after high school?
Do you have dreams for them?
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Life After High School
• There are many options after high
school, such as:
• Going to college
• Entering an apprenticeship
• Getting a job
• Going to a technical school or trade
school
• Resources to help make decisions:
• Teachers
• School counselors
• Vocational rehabilitation counselors
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College Perks for Students
Short-term benefits:
• Pick classes you are interested
in
• Make your own schedule
• Take morning, afternoon, or
evening classes
• You are treated like an adult
• You have more responsibility
• You make appointments
with your advisor
• You choose to come to
class on time
• Grades are usually not sent
to your parents
Long-term benefits:
• College graduates make, on
average, $1 million more than
high school graduates make
• College-educated individuals
have much lower rates of
joblessness
• More options of jobs with a
college degree
• Those with college degrees are
more likely to have better
health, exercise more, smoke
less, volunteer more, and vote
more
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Choosing College…
• Different types: trade schools, community colleges, and 4-
year universities at a state college or private university
• Going to college will help graduates make more on
average than those with only a high-school diploma
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What to Consider When Choosing a
College
• Tuition
• Social settings
• Academics
• Size
• Location
• Weigh the costs and benefits
• Reach out to people around
you for advice
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Trade/Technical Schools
• What is it?
• A school where to learn a special skill for a specific job
• Skills include: welding, mechanics, cosmetology, computer
technology, and more
• Can often get a degree quickly
• Costs
• Vary on the program and the courses taken
• Social
• All peers are learning the same trade
• Can take classes online
• Academics
• Usually smaller classrooms
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Community College
• What is it?
• 2-year program for an Associate Degree
• Many students transfer to a 4-year university after completion
• Costs
• Less expensive than a
4-year university
• Social
• Classroom setting
• May not have as many extracurricular activities
• Academics
• Usually open admissions
• Can be full-time or part-time and take as many classes as
student chooses
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4-Year University
• What is it?
• 4-year program for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science
Degree
• Costs
• Most expensive option
• Social
• Living in dorms or commuting
• Social clubs and athletic opportunities
• Academics
• Choose a variety of degrees
• Can continue to an advanced degree program after graduation
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Public vs. Private University
Private
Public
What is it?
•
•
Privately owned
Can be religiously based
State-funded university
Costs
•
•
Most expensive
Avg semester cost including
room and board - $30,094
•
•
Less expensive
Avg cost including room and
board- $8,893
Social
•
•
Smaller campuses
Athletics and social
organizations
•
•
Larger campuses
Athletics and social
organizations
Academics
•
•
•
BA or BS degree
Usually smaller classes
1 on 1 time with professors
BA or BS degree
Size
Smaller
Larger
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Preparing for College
• Students need the following to apply to college:
• A completed application to the college
• High school transcript
• ACT or SAT results from
• Letters of recommendation from people who
are not family members
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SAT/ACT Tests
• Accommodations on the SAT and ACT tests for:
• Extended time
• Taking the test in a different room.
• Getting ready:
• Take private classes offered by companies, for a fee
• Buy practice books or check them out from the library
• Join a study group at school
Paying for College
• There are many ways to get financial help
to pay for school:
• Going to school in-state
• Financial aid from the college
• Scholarships from the community
• Merit based, need based, private
• Federal loans (apply using a form called FAFSA)
• Private loans through local banks
• On-campus jobs
• Living at home
• Starting at a community college, then transferring
to a 4-year university
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MN Colleges Offering In-State Tuition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Alexandria Technical College
Anoka-Ramsey Community College •
•
Anoka Technical College
•
Bemidji State University
•
Central Lakes College
•
Century College
•
Dakota County Technical College
•
Fond du Lac Tribal & Community
College
•
Hennepin Technical College
•
Inver Hills Community College
Minneapolis Community and Technical •
College
•
Minnesota State College-Southeast •
Minnesota State Community and
•
Technical College
Minnesota West College
Normandale Community College
North Hennepin Community College
Northland College
Northwest Technical College
Ridgewater College
Riverland College
Rochester Community and Technical
College
St. Cloud Technical College
Saint Paul College
South Central College
Southwest Minnesota State University
University of Minnesota, Crookston
University of Minnesota, Morris
Financial Aid
• Financial aid is money that helps
pay for college such as
scholarships, private loans,
government loans, and grants
• Almost all colleges and technical
schools have a Financial Aid
Office
• Ask your child’s high school
guidance counselor about
financial aid options
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Scholarships
• A scholarship is money used to pay for college. Many
students usually apply and compete for scholarships.
• There are many types of scholarships. Scholarships can be
based on athletics, good grades, financial need, cultural
backgrounds or ethnicities, and more.
• Talk to your child’s financial aid office, your high school
counselor, or use the Internet to find different scholarships.
• The Minnesota Dream Act can help immigrant children pay
for college
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Entering the Workforce
• Going to college is a great idea for some, but it isn’t the only option.
• Students can enter the workforce or get an apprenticeship, (work
experience paid or unpaid that provides skills while actually working).
• For Special Education students:
• Job goals can be written into the IEP in high school.
• School counselors or vocational rehabilitation counselors can help students plan
ahead to learn the skills necessary to get a job.
• Help your child set long-term career goals.
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RIGHTS OF UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS
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Right to a Free Public Education:
Education is a Human Right
• Education is a right
• It is protected in the
Minnesota Constitution
• It is a human right
• Education is for all students
• For people of all races and income
• For all countries and languages
• For all children with disabilities
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District Responsibility to Provide Education:
A Free Public Education
• Public education for all
• Including all children of school
age who live in the district
• Public education must be free
• No fees for school supplies
• No mandatory “donations”
• No fees for special education
services
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Rights of Immigrant
Students & Parents
• Immigration status does not matter
• Living in school district is enough
• Immigrants are guaranteed the same
education as everyone else
• Undocumented Immigrants:
• Same right to K-12 education
• No fees required
• Includes extra-curricular activities
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District Responsibilities Towards
Immigrant Students & Parents
• Education must be the same
• Equal quality education for
immigrants
• District cannot ask for immigration status
• They do not need it. Parents do not have to provide it
• If asked, parents can say it is not needed and give other
forms of information
• i.e. Proof of residency in the district
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District Responsibilities Towards
Immigrant Students & Parents: ELL
• School districts must help ELL students:
• overcome language barriers
• ensure they can participate meaningfully in
educational programs (Lau v. Nichols (1974))
• School communications should be in the
parent’s native language when possible
• Required for special education meetings
• Not required for conferences
• Can always ask for translation/interpretation
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District Responsibilities Towards
Immigrants Enrollment information
 The school can require:
 Birth certificate, BUT foreign certificate must
be accepted.
 Proof of residency (a utility bill, a lease, or
other information).
 Immunization records.
 A school can NOT require the following.
They should not even ask for:
 Proof of citizenship for the parent or child.
 Proof of immigration status for the parent or
child.
 The school can ask for the following but
the parent does not have to provide it:
 Social Security Numbers
 Race
 Ethnicity and National Origin
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Plyer v. Doe
(1982)
• Schools are not immigration enforcers
• Schools cannot share student’s
immigration status
• Schools may not inform other
agencies about a student’s status
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Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964
“…No person in the United
States shall, on the grounds
of race, color or national
origin…be denied the
benefits of, or be subjected
to discrimination under any
program or activity receiving
Federal financial
assistance.”
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Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964
• School districts may not, on the basis of race, color, or
national origin:
• Provide different services, financial aid, or other benefits or
•
•
•
•
provide them in a different manner
Restrict an individual's enjoyment of an advantage or privilege
that is enjoyed by others
Deny an individual the right to participate in federally assisted
programs
Defeat or substantially impair the objectives of federally
assisted programs
Deny equal access to education because of a student's limited
proficiency in English.
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Title VI Violations
• Excluding students’ participation in school because of
their inability to speak and understand English
• Assigning minority students to special education
classes because of their lack of English skills
• Designing dead-end track programs for ELL students
that are not designed to teach them English
• Not providing school notices to parents whose
English is limited in a language they can understand
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Quiz
1. Should you or your child ever be asked about your
immigration status at your child’s school?
• NO.
2. What section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that
schools may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or
national origin?
• Title VI.
3. What did Plyer v. Doe determine?
• Schools are not immigration enforcers, cannot share student’s
immigration status, and may not inform other agencies about a
student’s status.
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